Device for controlling railway trains



E. RODOLAUSSE.

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY TRAINS. APPLlc/mon FILED 1AN.9.1920.4

1 ,406,902, l Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

5 SHEETS-sum1.

ELOI RODQLA v5.52 ATToRNL'x E. RODOLAUSSE.

DEv|c|z Foa coNTAoLuNG RAILWAY TRAINS.

MFIICAIION FILED IAN. 9, 1920. A 1,406,902, Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

5 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

NVENTOR A ELO RoDoLAz/:SSE

3y N A TTORNEY.

E. RODOLAUSSE. DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 9, |920.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

v ./Jv VENTUR e E301 oboLA LISSE TTORNEY.

E. RODOLAUSSE.

DEVICE ron coNIIIoILIIIIG RAILWAY TRAINS.

MPLICAHON FILED JAN. 9,1920. 1,406,902, Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

.7N vENToR:

52,01 RoDoLA 11555 3?, ATTORNEK E. RODOLAUSSE. DEVICE FoR CONTROLLING RAILWMTRAINS.

APPLlcnnoN mm 1AN.9, 1920.

Patented Feb. 14, 192.2.

5 SHEETS-SHEET .5-

NVENTOB; ELOI RoDoLA ussE A 7' ToBNEy UNITED STATES PAT-ENT OFFICE.

DEVICE FOR CONTBOLLING RAILWAY TRAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 14, 1922.

Application filed January 9, 1920. Serial No. 350,419.

' (GRANTED UNDER Tini rRovIsIoNs 0F THE ACT 4or Tranen a, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

To all whom. it may concern Be. it known that I, ELOI RonoLAUssn, a citizen of the French Republic, and resident of St.-Antonin, Tarn and Garonne, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Controlling Railway rIrains, (for which I have filed applications lin France Dec. 21, 1918, and April 16, 1919,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for automatically applying the brakes on a train when it is not stopped or the speed reduced within predetermined limits. In operating trains, it is usual to reduce the speed of the train below a certain limit when passing` through yards around sharp curvesy or through thickly settled portions of the country, where grade crossings are numerous. Usually the speed is required to be reduced below twelve miles an hour.

In the operation of a train, the distance required for reducing the speed from one limit., say for instance, sixty miles an hour,

down to a lower limit, for instance twelve miles an hour is usually known or may be calculated and in the ordinary operation of a train, the speed is reduced within this distance.

This invention utilizes this known distance for reducing the speed 0r stopping a train for automatically operating the Vbrakes to stop the train, if it is not slowed down or stopped within the determined distance.

he operation of this device does not take place until a train has traveled a predeter lined distance greater than theusual stop,- ping distance above lreferred to, so that the engineer may reduce the speed or stop the train within the predetermined distance which will prevent the present invention from being set into operation.

The major portion of the apparatus is carried on the train and is connected to operate the brakes by actuating a valve in the compressed air line to the brakes, the portions carried by the train being setin operation by portions of the device 'mounted on the track and contacting with parts on the train. The invention is also adapted t0 be operated by the force of an explosion of a detonator or other special signal placed on the track.

Other objects and details of construction are more particularly pointed out in the following description and claims.

In the drawings z Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the main form of contact maker for closing the circuit for operating a valve in the air line to the brakes.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a view of the valve operating mechanism.

Fig. L1 is a view of a modified form of contact cylinder.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a track with contact plates in position. i l

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a track and contact plates.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified form of circuit closer.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of another modification of circuit closer.

Fig. 9 is an .end view of a car wheel and a. portion of the car showing a mechanism adapted to be operated by a detonator on the track.

Fig. 10 is a side view of the .wheel and devices shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a detailed sectional view of `one of the devices shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the othery device shown in Fig. 9.

The main form of circuit closer shown in Fig. 1 is mounted in the engine Acabin a. convenient place and comprises a frame 1, having` a base portion 2 in the central portion of which is rotatably mounted a shaft 3. This shaft is connected with an axle of one of the wheels. A centrifugal governor 3 is mounted on the shaft within the frame and is adapted to operate an annular contact 6 slidably mounted on the shaft inthe movement thereof. A rod 7 is mounted on the frame at 8 and is adapted to contact with the edge of the contact 6 for making a circuit through the contact G. A cylinder 9 is mounted on a shaft 10 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 11 in the frame, the cylinder being formed of scctions, one sectionl having an adjusting nut 12 secured thereto, so that it may be moved on a shaft to lengthen the cylinder. A

spiral contact 13 has each end secured to :soV

one of the cylinder sections and is adapted to Contact with annular contact 6 in the rotation of the cylinder under certain conditions. By adjusting the nut 12 to lengthen the cylinder, the length and pitch of the spiral 7 may be varied which will vary the conditions of contact with annular contact 6. A disc 14 is mounted on shaft 10 adjacent the end of cylinder 9, and is provided with a notch adapted to be engaged by a lever 15 mounted in the trame, and an electro-magnet is mounted on the frame adjacent the lever 15 and will disengage the leverl from the notch and disc 14 when energized. A Amutilated gear 17 is provided with a weight 18 on one Vedge thereof, and is mounted upon the end of shaft 10, being connected with a gear 19 on shaft 3 by pinions 20.

A cylinder 21 is mounted on shaft 22 in frame 1 below shaft 3 and is provided with a spiral contact 23 having a straight portion 24 adapted to engage annular contact 6A This cylinder is similar in construction to cylinder 9 and is operated under the same condition as cylinder 9, but not for the same purpose. A notched disc 25 is mounted on shaft 22 and a lever 26 is mounted on theV fra-me and adapted to engage the notch in the disc 25. An electro-magnet 27 is mounted on the frame 1 and when energized, will disengage lever 26 from the notch in the disc. A mutilated gear 28 is mounted on the shaft 22, is provided with a counterweight 29 and connectedL with gear 19 by pinions 30. The frame is formed with a bar 31 adjacent the annular contact 6 and has scale markings thereon to indicate the speed of the train, the annular contact being moved along shaft 3 by the governor according to the speed asindicated on the scale. Brushes 32 are mounted on frame 1 in contact with cylinders 9 and 21 and form one side of a circuit through electro-magnet 33 and source of electrical energy 34, the other side of the circuit being formed through contact 7.

The electro-magnet 33 when energized, is adapted to operate a spring actuated pawl 35 to release the valve handle 36, which will be moved by a weight 37 mounted thereon to open valve 33 in the air conduit to the brakes, so that the brakes will he applied to stop the train. Registering mechanism 39 is operated by handle 36 for registering each operation of the handle.

It is to be understood that any form of mechanism may be used for opening valve 38 which may be released by an electro-inagnet, the above described form illustrating only one type oi such construction.

A modified construction is shown in Fig. 4 of cylinder 9 and contact 13, in which contact 13 has a broken portion indicated at 13 and which has its end spaced from the end of the cylinder as indicated at 40. An additional contact piece 41 may be used to close a portion of the gap formed between the end 40 and the end of the cylinder. This modified cylinder construction is used when more than one rotation if the cylinder is desired without contacting with annular contact 6 for closing the circuit.

Two pairs of contact members 42 are carried by the locomotive (not shown), one pair having wires 44 connecting it with electromagnet 16 and the other pair having Wires 45 connecting it with electro-magnet 27. A pair of contact plates 46 are mounted between the rails of the track as shown in Fig. 6, each plate being adapted to contact With the first pair of contact members 42. A circuit 47 having a source of energy 48 therein is adapted to be open or closed by a semaphore signal on the track and electro-magnet 16 will only be energized to operate lever 15 when the semaphore signal closes circuit 47. A contact plate 49 is placed between the rails in a position to engage the second mentioned pair of contacts which close the circuit to electro-magnet 27 and is not always used when contact plates 46 are used. More than one contact plate 49 may be used within a short distance for producing a continued operation of the device, and which is usually placed in step relation along the track as indicated at 49a in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 shows a modified form of the circuit closing mechanism shown in Fig. 1. This form of mechanism is adapted to be used on the usual speed indicator in common use on t-rains. 50 indicates the speed indicating hand and 51 is the dial of the speed indicator. The hand 52 is mounted on the same center as the hand 50 and a pinion 53 is provided with an arm 54 having one end of the spring 55 connected thereto, the other end being connected to the hand 52 for holding it against a stop 56 when in inoperative position. A cylinder 57 having a spiral rib 58 thereon is connected with the speed indicator by connections 59, so that it may be rotatedthrough the speed indicator connections by the axle of one of the wheels. A rackhar 60 meshes with the pinion 53 and has a projection 61 secured thereto, adapted to be engaged by the spiral rib 58, a spring 62 acting to normally hold the rack bar in the position shown in the drawings. The two hands 50 and 52 are provided with contacts adaptedrto close the circuit through the electro-magnet 33 for operating the brakes, and a stop 63 is mounted on the dial 51 for limiting the movement of hand 52 for a purpose to be described, In the operation of this modification, the hand 50 will register the speed of a train on the dial 51. When a signal is approached which requires the speed of a train to be reduced below a certain limit, the cylinder 57 will be set in motion throughconnections-59, and rib58 will engage lprojection 61, land through the connecting parts Twill operate lhand -52 to follow hand 50 during the reduction of speed until stop 63-engages the hand 52. It the speed is reduced below the determined Vlimit Within a prescribed distanceas before stated, hand 52 will not pass or contact With hand 5,0, but if the Speed is not reduced Within this prescribed distance, -hand 52 will move faster than hand 50 contacting with the same and causing the circuit through electro-magnet 33 to be 'operated Which Will stop the train.

Another modification of the circuit closing mechanism is shown in Fig. 8 in which a drum 64 replaces the cylinder 57. This drum is loosely mounted on a sha-ft 65 and has a notched disc 661secured thereto, which is adapted to be secured to a gear Wheel 67 which operates in the same manner as the mutilated gear -17 A lever 68 is provided With a projection adapted to engage the notch in the disc 66, and which is disengaged from the disc -by electro-magnet 16. Ahand 69 `is adapted to function the same as the hand 52in Fig. 7 and is mounted on a drum 70 around .Which is Wound a cordY 71 from the drum 64, and a spiral spring 72 normally holds the hand 69 against a stop 73. The hand 69is caused Vto operate through the mechanism described in the same manner in which hand 52 operates. Fig. 11 illustrates details of a device shown in'Figures 9 and 10, which is adapted t0 set the circuit closing mechanism in opera tion by the-explosion of adetonator or other explosive signal placed on thetrack. This device is constructed lwith an annular cas- .ing 74 and conveXed Walls 75. The casing 74 is secured to a standard 76, which is mounted on the train, so that the walls 75 are carried in close proximity to the track and periphery ot the 'front Wheel. A

.terminal post 77 is mounted in one of the walls 7 5, is insulated therefrom, and Within the casinghas a spring 78 secured thereto, which carries a. rack Abar 7 9. `0n the opposite -Wall 75 is mounted a frame 8() rotatably supporting a heavy disc 81, which has apinion 82 secured thereto for engagement With the rack 79, and a pair of semicircula-r springs 83 are attached to the Wall 75 and -normally tend to torce said Walls away from each other. The terminal post 77 is connected through a source of energy 84 to either electro-magnet 16 or 27, the other terminal of the electro-magnet being grounded, so that the current will pass through the standard 76. lhen the Wheel to which Athis device is adjacent` passes over an explosive signal placed on the track7 the explosion Will cause the walls 7 5 to be forred toward each other, which will bring rack bar 79 in engagementvwith pinion 8() tact plates 46.

and close the circuit ythrough the :contact mechanism. The Weighted disc 81 will retardlthe movement of the Walls 7 5y back yto their normal position by the action `oi springs83 and will hold the rack bar 79 in engagement with `pinion 82 for a short space of time, which will give the electromagnet in circuit time to operate.

1n Fig. 12, another modification of an explosive operated device is shown in which a tapered tubular member 85 is secured on standard 86, which supports said tubular member in the front ofthe front Wheel of the car. A plug 87 closes the small end of said member 85 and is mounted to the standard 86 by a spring 88. A contact member 89 is mounted on a spring 90 also secured to standard 86 and insulated therefrom. This contact 89 is adapted to be connected to one of the electro-magnets of the circuitclosing mechanism through a source of energy 91, the return circuit being grounded as will be Obvious.

A signal 92 is mounted for operation to notify the engineer of the operation of the device shown in Fig. 1 and comprises a bell member 93 and a spring 94, which engages with the teeth on gear Wheel 17. The movement of the spring over the teeth causing the audible signal to be produced.

The operation ot the vcontact mechanism shown .in Fig. 1 in connection with the other connected mechanisms is as follows zlVhen a train is `approaching a signal at stop usually located 'a distance ahead of a station or other regular stop, contact plates 46 kare located on the track near this Vsignal and the circ-uit 47 `is connected rwith the signal and operated thereby. These contact plates will be such a distance from the station that the engineer will be able to reduce the speed oif the train below a predetermined limit after the train has traveled a. certain distance Jfrom the con- One of the pairs of contact members 42 will pass over the contact plates V46 as the train passes the signal and Will'energize electro-magnet 16. This will disengage lever 15 from the notched disc .14 and the Weight 18 of gear 17 will cause the teeth to mesh With. the pinion 20. which Will set cylinder 9 in rotation. After the cylinder is set in motion. the signal 92 Will be operated to notify the engineer of the operation of the device. It the speed of the train is reduced Within the. predetermined distance betere mentioned` the annular contact ring 6 will be moved to the left along shaft 8 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and in this motion it will move ahead of the spiral contact 18 and will not Ybe engaged thereby, so that the electro-magnet 33 will not be energized for operating the brakes. But if the train is not stopped Within the predetermined distance before mentioned, the cylinder will rotate faster than the contact 6 is moved to the dotted line position and the spiral contact 13 will engage contact 6, closethe circuit through electro-magnet 33, release pawl 35 and permit valve 38 to be operated al` lowing the air to operate the brakes which Will stop the train. Then the engineer will be required to reset lever 86 in order to proceed with the train. This device is adh justed so that When the train is slowed below the predetermined limit above mentioned and the device does not operate the brakes, the train may be moved along to the desired stopping place as long as the speed is kept below the limit.

When the train running along the track approaches a place Where the speed is required to be reduced as when passing through yards or small towns, the contact plate 49 is placed on the track which closes the circuit through electro-magnet 43 releasing lever 2G from notched disc 25 which permits cylinder 21 to be set in rotation in an obvious manner. To prevent the brakes from being operated by this mechanism, the engineer is required to reduce the speed below a certain limit Within a predetermined limit as with the operation of cylinder 9, but the limit usually used with the operation of this cylinder is considerably greater than that used for cylinder 9. The speed also has to be kept below this limit for a longer time than with the operation of cyl Ainder 9 due to the portion 24 of the contact member on the cylinder. lVhen the operation. of the cylinder 2l ceases to be eft'ective to make contact with the contact 6 and it is still desired to have it operate, an additional contact plate may be placed on the track as indicated at 49 for causing another operation of the device which will require the engineer to keep the speed of the train reduced belen7 the limit for a longer time.

In case of any emergency which may occur along the track at any point, and it would require the stopping of a train, explosive signals are usually used and the device as shown in Figs. 1l and l2 are used to set the circuit closing mechanism in operation in this case. The explosive signal being` placed on the track a distance ahead of the required stopping place will cause the device as shoivu in Figs. ll and l2, to be ope ated for closing the circuit to energize electro-magnet 16 which will set cylinder 9 in operation as before described.

The modifications of the circuit closing mechanism shown in Figs. 'T and S, the 0pcration of which has been described, may be used instead of the construction shown in Fig. 1, and Will operate with the other connected device as used in connection there- With in an obvious manner.

It Will be seen from the above that provision is made to automatically stop a train by the operation of signals on the track in the event that an engineer does not take heed to the signals, or require the speed to be reduced beloiv certain limits under other signals as above mentioned.

Having now fully described my said invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A train control apparatus comprising an air-brake operating means, a control. de

vice for said air-brake operating means, in-

cluding a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, an annular contact mounted on the shaft, said shaft being connected-for relative rotation with the axle of a car, a governor mounted on the shaft, asecond shaft mounted in the frame, a cylinder mounted thereon and adjustable lengthwise, a notched disk mounted on said second-1ne1itioned shaft, a pawl mounted in the frame for en gag-ement with the notchedy disk,` another shaft mounted in the frame, a cylinder mounted thereon, a disk mounted on the last-mentioned shaft, and a pawl mounted in the frame for vengagement with the lastmentioned disk, connections between the .second and third-mentioned shafts and the first-mentioned shaft for transmitting rotative movement thereto, and means for operating the pawls t0 disengage them from the disks. p Y

8. A train control apparatus comprising air-brake operating` means, including a valve for controlling the air, a leveradapted to operate the valve, said lever having a tooth formed thereon, a Weight mounted on the' lever, an armature having a tooth for engaging the tooth on said lever, pivoted at one end, an electromagnet ad aptedto operate theV armature to disengage the teeth, an electric" circuit through the electromagnet, and a con trol device for said circuit and electromagnet, and means for governing the operation of the control device. y

fl. A train control apparatus, comprising an air-brake operating means' including a valve, a Weighted lever adapted to operate the valve, an armature for engagement with the valve to Ahold it in closed position, and an electromagnet and circuit, jthe magnet when energized, operating the armature to release the lever, a control device for said air-brake operating means having contacts adapted to close the circuit through said electro-magnet, one contact beingoperated by the speed or' the train, the other contacts beingoperated by the distance advanced by the train.

5. A train control apparatus, comprising an air brake controlling means, a control mechanism therefor carried by a train, an

electrically operated contact mechanism having contacts and adapted to set the control mechanism in operation, the contacts being closed by an explosion on the track.

6. A train control apparatus comprising an air-brake operating means, an electric circuit for operating the air-brake operating means, a control device for said circuit including a governor operated movable contact, adapted to rotate relative to the speed of a train, helical contact members adapted to cooperate with the movable contact and adapted to be rotated relative to the distance travelled by a train, and means for setting the helical contact members into operation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

ELOI RODOLAUSSE.

Witnesses J. A. COLUET, C. J. DELBROUOK. 

